TTCC Roundtable is a designated space for partner organizations to connect with TTC College on a variety of collaboration opportunities from being a guest speaker, educational workshops, and valuable conversations surrounding the latest news in the behavioral healthcare field.

We thank Cameron Bell for taking his time to share his expertise with us. We thank all of our attendees and cannot wait for October’s topic on Uniting for Change, Discussing the Future of Prop 36!

For more information on how you can collaborate with TTC College please click on the link below!

PARTNER WITH US!

The Importance of Community in Recovery 

Recovery is not just a one-person job; it takes a community to support folks seeking recovery. When an individual enters the journey to healing, they are first met with a load of people who will help them through treatment from nurses, counselors, therapists, social workers, and more depending on the needs. All of these essential workers come together to help folks find their recovery. Post treatment, most individuals maintain relationships with key community members that will help keep them accountable and further remove the stigma surrounding substance use. For some that looks like going to Substance Use Anonymous groups, having a sponsor(s), family members to check in with, finding new hobbies, and even starting their own initiatives to help others in the mission of recovery. As a community we can foster resilience and help break the stigma of substance use. We all have a role to play in helping some of our most vulnerable groups and you can start by just researching ways you can contribute to the greater cause.  

Life After Treatment  

Barriers to Recovery and How to Overcome Them 

For recovery to be possible, our community needs to be well-informed of the barriers that may come when a person is seeking recovery. One prominent barrier is the lack of resources to help those in need. For someone who is seeking recovery, they may not know where to start on their journey but that is where we come in as a community! One way we can stay informed of our resources is through education. Many non-profit organizations offer free training on overdose prevention and how to use Narcan. For those of us still learning, Narcan, or Naloxone, is a nasal spray used to quickly reverse the effects of opioid overdoses while folks call for help. This is a lifesaving medication that the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) approved to have available over the counter as of March 29^th, 2023. While this is a huge milestone, allowing many to have access to Narcan, it still creates a barrier for the communities that need it most. If a person doesn’t have money, or health insurance, maybe they are houseless, how are we expecting them to get access to Narcan? This is where we come in. Many of us are teachers, librarians, customer service employees, healthcare workers and each of us can be trained in how to use Narcan so we can potentially save someone’s life. Each of us can support and advocate for local and state policies that can potentially save lives.  

Overdose Poisoning Awareness and Remembrance Walk 

On September 14^th, we were invited to attend the Overdose Poisoning Awareness and Remembrance Walk hosted by Pueblo y Salud to honor loved ones lost to overdose and commemorate their memory. We took time to honor loved ones who have passed and talked about ways we can connect with each other to continue the mission of ending substance use. As our team walked the trail, we were reminded of how precious life is and how it takes a village to keep each other safe. One impactful moment was when our Chief Academic Officer, Dr. James B. Golden, said “In a system that is not meant for healing, we have to heal each other.” As a community we can show up for each other in ways that are lifesaving, but it starts with you!  

If you feel a calling to the greater mission of ending overdoses and helping others in their recovery journey, apply today to TTC College and learn more about our Peer Support Specialization Program and our Substance Use Counseling Program.  

If you’d like to learn more about how you can bring Narcan and Overdose Prevention training to your community, school, or workplace, email us at ttcc@tarzanatc.org to learn more.

---

Additional Resources for Information: 

1. SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) 

• Provides extensive resources on recovery, treatment, and mental health: www.samhsa.gov 

2. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) 

• Offers research and educational resources on substance use and recovery: www.drugabuse.gov 

3. National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) 

• Focuses on mental health recovery: www.nami.org 

References 

Commissioner, O. of the. (n.d.). FDA Approves First Over-the-Counter Naloxone Nasal Spray. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-over-counter-naloxone-nasal-spray  

SAMHSA’s Working Definition of Recovery. SAMHSA. (n.d.). https://store.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/pep12-recdef.pdf 

TTCC Roundtable is a designated space for partner organizations to connect with TTC College on a variety of collaboration opportunities from being a guest speaker, educational workshops, and valuable conversations surrounding the latest news in the behavioral healthcare field.

We thank Sergio Frasuto Jr. for delivering an insightful and empowering presentation on HIV Prevention and the significance of PrEP/PEP. We thank all of our attendees and cannot wait for September’s topic on Mastering De-escalation Techniques: Building Calm In Crisis!

For more information on how you can collaborate with TTC College please click on the link below!

---

Partner With Us!

---

A Visionary Quest for Community Care

Tarzana Treatment Centers College teams up with the Ayeneh Media Foundation to discuss the impact one person can have on a community of people seeking recovery. In this edition, Dr. James B. Golden, PsyD, the Chief Academic Office of TTC College, as the host talks with TTC College Alumni and Entrepreneur, Bruce McDaniel, on the impact that the Substance Use Counseling Program had on his recovery, his desire to impact the community, and how others can use their story to create long lasting change.  

Substance Use Counseling Program and Its Impact 

In this episode, Bruce McDaniel offers his insight on what motivated him to pursue the Substance Use Counseling Program with Tarzana Treatment Centers College. As he started his recovery journey, Bruce wanted to find a way to expand his ability to impact the community. Bruce wanted to be a mirror of hope to others and decided that having the education to back his experience would be the best way to do it. During the discussion, Bruce powerfully makes the connection that “…having the education backed by the fact that I look like a lot of the people who are in the beginning stages of their recovery, it hits a little bit harder…”. A valuable insight that success and trust in recovery often happens when residents can see a variety of representation among their counselors, mentors, nurses, and staff that not only look like them but understand the experience firsthand.  

After discussing a bit about Bruce’s motivation to stay in recovery and impact those around him, Dr. James B. Golden asks Bruce where he is right now in his professional career and how the SUD Program has helped him achieve his larger goal to inspire others. Bruce discusses that although he may not be in the specific world of counseling, he is “that light for some people who [are] walking through TTCC and folks who attend CGA (Crime and Gang member Anonymous) meetings showing people that there is another way.” One thing that TTC College prides itself is innovation. We encourage our students and staff to find innovative ways to impact our community, and that is one of the core values Bruce is demonstrating. Although he may not be directly providing clinical counseling, he is mentoring, spreading an important message, and providing a safe platform for folks just like him to freely express their stories and find the courage to seek out support. Dr. James B. Golden makes the connection that counseling continues to change as the world changes. Whether you use your substance use counseling to uplift recovery lifestyle brands, spoken work poetry, speaking engagements, nursing, policy making, or counseling, you can utilize the education you receive here at TTC College to make a larger impact.  

Be the Light 

“It’s a beautiful situation to see everybody come together for one common cause. We’re all here to help people and that’s all that matters.” Bruce stated. Regardless of where you come from, your experiences, how you identify, and what your next passions are, here at TTC College we are ready to continue to help you get started to be your own light in the community you love so much.  

Stay Connected 

For the full interview please visit the following link: https://youtu.be/42hZkWvD9qc?si=-59f60rzYaLtFgvp and stay connected with us on YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn! 

If you are interested in applying for our programs, please visit our website here Home Page – Tarzana Treatment Centers College (ttccollege.org) and apply now!  

TTCC Roundtable is a designated space for partner organizations to connect with TTC College on a variety of collaboration opportunities from being a guest speaker, educational workshops, and valuable conversations surrounding the latest news in the behavioral healthcare field.

For more information on how you can collaborate with TTC College please click on the link below!

Partner With Us!

---

The Many Positive Benefits of a Substance Use Disorder Certification Program

If you are thinking about learning more about a substance use disorder certification program, you are not alone. In the past decade, there has been a rapid rise in behavioral healthcare career opportunities. According to Fortune Business Insights, “The U.S. behavioral health market size is projected to grow from $83.70 billion in 2023 to $115.21 billion by 2030… This is due to the implementation of favorable policies on both a federal and state level.” In other words, behavioral healthcare is a forward-looking industry with extensive funding to help expand institutions and create more jobs.

With the national opioid abuse crisis front and center, SUD opportunities particularly are on the rise. Since a substance use disorder certification program opens the door to becoming an SUD counselor, many people want to know more about this career path. Indeed, it is a work opportunity that comes with many positive benefits.

Beyond offering a career as an SUD counselor, there are so many additional positive life benefits. At Tarzana Treatment Centers College (TTCC), the supportive admissions team and engaging teachers offer a wide range of knowledge and tools. By being connected to Tarzana Treatment Centers, one of the largest nonprofit behavioral healthcare organizations in Southern California, TTCC is special. The school can connect students to the ground floor preparation needed for employment in the SUD counseling field.

Potential jobs in the field include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Recovery Technician	2. Substance Use Counselor
3. Substance Use Disorder Navigator	4. Community Health Worker
5. Peer Support Specialist	6. Case Manager
7. Sober Coach	8. Social Worker

Internal and External Benefits of a SUD Certification

Although a substance use disorder certification program does mean immediate employment as an SUD counselor, it does open the door to SUD counseling opportunities. In addition to obtaining certification, applied work hours need to be accumulated to earn a state license from the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS).

However, the Substance Use Disorder Certification Program at TTCC turns a student into a perfect candidate for such paid training. Starting out as support staff and technicians, many TTCC graduates have gone on to become certified SUD counselors. At TTCC, the academic team helps students access the kind of opportunities that make the most sense for them individually.

Once a student embraces this career path, many doors open, both internally and externally. Here are some of the positive benefits of substance use disorder counselor certification:

A. Five Internal Personal Benefits of SUD Counseling

1) Building self-esteem by helping people in crisis get back on track

2) Learning every day on the job, both in training and as a counselor

3) The pride of working directly with patients, making a difference

4) Becoming a skilled professional with the respect of your peers

5) Promoting personal development in an interactive environment

However, the personal benefits are just the beginning. The life benefits are also significant.

B. Four External Life Benefits of SUD Counseling

1) Learning and working on a flexible schedule beyond nine to five

2) Access to competitive salaried positions with dependable benefits

3) Becoming part of a supportive team with clear and distinct goals

4) Employment location flexibility since SUD counselors are needed all over

5) The serenity of a stable career path that continues to grow in the 21st century

A Substance Use Disorder Certification Program for You

When you combine the two lists, you have a convincing argument for finding out more about the TTCC substance use disorder certification program. However, it is up to you to take the first step and learn more. As a flexible program with a substantial online presence, we are willing to work with each student. To learn more, contact us today.

SUD Counseling Certification is a resourceful educational step to expand your career options and improve your service capabilities. For professionals already holding degrees or licenses in mental health fields, primary care settings, and as licensed social workers, substance use disorders (SUD) are common in almost any patient population.

Hence, obtaining SUD Counseling Certification can expand the breadth of your behavioral healthcare services.

At the same time, such a certification will broaden your employment horizons, potentially opening new doors and leading to new opportunities.

The SUD Program at Tarzana Treatment Centers College

At Tarzana Treatment Centers College (TTCC), our admissions staff understands the work demands of anyone in a healthcare setting. As a result, we offer a program tailored to each student’s needs. Since you might be more than just a student and have a busy workload with multidimensional responsibilities, we have made the extra effort to make the TTCC program work for you.

For example, most of our SUD Counseling Certification classes are offered online at your convenience. While we focus on the quality of our educational offerings, we also make sure that students, particularly professionals with jobs and families, to have access to these programs. Moreover, we want to accomplish this task without causing difficulties or unnecessary challenges.

The TTCC homepage clearly states, “The mission of Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc. College (TTCC) is to expand access to a quality and affordable healthcare learning experience for adults in all stages of their professional career and development.” By turning this mission into a viable reality for behavioral healthcare professionals, TTCC can substantially contribute to the needed expansion of the workforce.

Professional Benefits of SUD Counseling Certification

Three Professional Benefits of SUD Counseling Certification:

1. A Multitude of Employment Opportunities
   1. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports an 18% increase in SUD Counseling positions over the next decade. The need for substance use disorder treatment is a high-growth industry.
2. SUD Counselor Certification Improves Standing and Status
   1. A behavioral healthcare professional will find that obtaining SUD Counseling Certification can improve their reputation and credibility with employers and potential patients.
3. Expansion of Employment Geography and Locations
   1. By obtaining SUD Counseling Certification, new doors open with new employment possibilities, both in the type of healthcare providers and the location of those potential jobs.

Beyond these benefits, however, one more reason makes perfect sense for healthcare providers across the country and in every potential location.

The Importance of Addressing Co-Occurring Disorders

Although co-occurring disorders may not be more common today than ever before, they certainly are more recognized. In behavioral healthcare treatment settings, most patients come into treatment with co-occurring disorders, including substance use disorders, mental health challenges, and chronic physical health problems like diabetes and STDs.

With any of these co-occurring disorders, substance use disorders tend to be the most apparent and immediate option to address. If a patient stops taking drugs or drinking alcohol, all the other co-occurring disorders tend to improve as well.

With Substance Use Disorder Certification, behavioral healthcare professionals gain the training needed to assess and treat substance use disorders. Even if the treatment is an initial detoxification, it begins a process that leads to long-term treatment options. To learn more about how TTCC can help expand and widen your career, please contact us today.

Opportunities for behavioral healthcare employment are expanding in Southern California. For example, government entities and nonprofit organizations lead this expansion process. As the educational extension of Tarzana Treatment Centers (TTC), Tarzana Treatment Centers College (TTCC) is working hard to expand opportunities. In February, the Los Angeles City Council approved recommendations to improve behavioral health services’ coordination, delivery, and communication.

By focusing on coordinating and delivering behavioral health services through modernized communication systems, the LA City Council is keeping pace with the 21^st century. Reflecting a 12-0 vote, council members want to highlight organizations by council districts that provide health services. Hence, each organization must provide its take on comprehensive strategies that will best serve Angelinos.

LA City Council and Behavioral Healthcare Employment

At the same time, the LA City Council is looking to address behavioral health workforce shortages through possible incentives. For example, student loan repayment, payment of school and certification fees, and moving stipends are some ideas on the table. Such an expansion of behavioral healthcare employment reflects the heart of TTCC’s mission. Addressing intersectionality and workplace bias, TTCC offers many programs that make behavioral healthcare employment an inclusive and diverse work environment.

Such a workforce issue motivates the LA City Council to make these changes. Indeed, in their research, the LA City Council discovered the following: “According to the County Behavioral Health Directors Association of California’s February 2023 report, which surveyed 57 counties across the state, more than 70% of county behavioral health agencies had difficulty recruiting new hires.” Given such difficulties, educational programs like TTCC are critical to the solution.

Behavioral Healthcare Employment and TTCC Opportunities

Beyond providing vital behavioral health services at nineteen locations across LA County, TTC promotes the use of evidence-based practices (EBP) and innovative health interventions based on science and research.  To address workforce needs in California, TTC offers a variety of programs that allow students to start their training in a way that is tailored to their needs. From Continuing Education Opportunities to the Substance Use Disorder Counselor Certification Program to the Medi-Cal Peer Support Services (PSS) Certification and Project Open Doors (POD); an online General Education Development (GED) preparation program.  These offerings provide great opportunities for employment to all individuals seeking job positions in behavioral healthcare.

On the TTCC website’s home page, the intent of these programs is clear:

“The mission of Tarzana Treatment Centers, Inc. College (TTCC) is to expand access to a quality and affordable healthcare learning experience for adults in all stages of their professional career and development. As part of this mission, we implement academic courses and student activities with an emphasis on the delivery of quality integrated healthcare services based on evidence-based practices, patient-centered care, and reducing total cost of care.”

By combining quality with opportunity, TTCC reflects the goals of the Los Angeles City Council’s new directive. Thus, TTCC is here to open the doors of opportunity for adults wanting to access behavioral healthcare employment. However, you need to take the first steps in the process.

Take the First Step to Behavioral Healthcare Employment

On the TTCC home page, follow these steps to learn more information about each of TTC’s multiple offerings:

1. Complete the Interest Form Online
2. Schedule and Complete a Student Interview
3. Sign the Enrollment Agreement
4. Begin Your Coursework

Indeed, it is easy to begin an academic program in behavioral health services.  To learn more, visit our TTC College website.